George Hoyem
(George is internationally known for his many volumes on cartridge types and history. He is also renowned as a publicist for other authors on various arms related subjects. - Armory Publications)
"What A Great Book!... will be well received by arms collectors as well as cartridge collectors."

Robert C. Solomon
(Bob is a lifetime Cartridge Collector and author of several short articles on Winchester Ammunition)
"Long Anticipated... a major effort by Dan Shuey... The material will be of special interest to those who collect... types of ammunition used in the first arms of this era (1880 - 1930) and those who collect the actual firearms and study their history. The book is first rate, printed on coated paper for high visibility and clarity... It will be a wonderful reference book for cartridge collectors, firearms historians and collectors, and others interested in this period of history."

George Murphy
(George is a lifetime cartridge collector and historian as well as the former manager of the Chicagoland International Cartridge Show.)
August 20, 1999
Dear Folks:
I received the book "W.R.A. Co. Headstamped Cartridges and their Variations" written by Daniel L. Shuey and have reviewed it
carefully. It takes me about three passes to fully review a book and have completed this process. In first looking at the book it is easy to see that it is a first class publication. The cover, printing, and paper quality are excellent and anyone should be proud to have this quality of book on their bookcase shelf. The drawings by Gene Scranton are up to the quality of his past work which is known throughout the
cartridge collecting world. The pictures are well done and add to the workmanship that went into the publication of this book. The final review that I make is to study the areas that I am intimate with for the technical information contained there. I find no fault with these areas. I have been collecting cartridges for over forty years and I viewed many new cartridges that I have not seen in this period.
The most important thing that a collector can have is knowledge and each well researched book adds to that knowledge. This publication should be welcomed by both cartridge and gun collectors alike.
Wishing you great success in the distribution of the book.

--George Murphy

Lou Behling
(Lou is as well a lifetime collector and historian and was the former editor of the Cartridge Corner for The Gun Report.)
August 21, 1999
When the author initiated this project, I, like many others, thought he had taken on an impossible task. The sheer scope of the project with
it's hundreds of W.R.A. Co. variations was enough to make most collectors doubt that it could be done.
Well, Volume I, which covers calibers .20 through .38 is finished. It is a massive work based on primary source material taken from factory records, drawings (when available), catalogs and the cartridges themselves. Secondary source information, when used, is noted.
Section I is informational, dealing with abbreviations, symbols, rarity factor, key to page layout, date usage, and historical notes. These are clearly laid out and are self-explanatory. The two and one half pages of "Historical Notes" are a prelude of what is to come.
Section II covers identification. In this section you will learn how to identify W.R.A. Co. headstamp styles, cases, primers, bullets, loadings, box label markings and their applications to the W.R.A. Co. This section covers 74 pages and is full of information for the beginner as well as the most advanced collector. There is so much information in this section that you will be reading it time and time again.
Section III is a headstamp check list. One list is of confirmed headstamps, the other deals with questionable headstamps.
Section IV concerns the cartridges themselves. The first thing that will be quickly noted is the superb full scale line drawings of the cartridges. I picked a half dozen cartridges at random and placed the over the drawings; the match was nearly exact.
At first looking at a page full of ammunition abbreviations seemed intimidating; however, after several pages, they were easily mastered. For the beginning collector or someone not familiar with these commonly used ammunition abbreviations, it will take a bit longer, but they should be quickly mastered. Included on this page are a rarity factor and the year the cartridge was introduced and discontinued. At the bottom of the page are footnotes concerning the cartridge being illustrated; many of these are from factory records.
The subject of Section V is dated cartridges. This section deals mostly with military contract cartridges, although some commercial loadings are included as well as several experimental cartridges and artillery cases.
The use of abbreviations throughout the book is extensive. However, after spending some time reading through them I don't think this could have been avoided; doing so would have created problems with page layout, increased bulk, and cost. This is an inconvenience to which the reader will need to adjust.
There is not a page index to the cartridge section; this is inconvenient. Until one becomes familiar with the cartridge layout, paging through a grouping to find a specific cartridge is required. Hopefully, this will be corrected in Volume II.
This is an outstanding work on W.R.A. Co. headstamped ammunition. When one considers the sheer bulk of primary information it contains, it is not difficult to understand why it will be a basic reference source on W.R.A. Co. for many years to come. The book is an absolute must for anyone in the cartridge collecting or firearms field with an interest in W.R.A. Co. ammunition.

--Louis F. Behling

Herbert G. Houze (Man at Arms)

Larry Mayer (Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine)

Winchester Two-Piece Boxes 1873 to 1927 Reviews

Herbert G. Houze
(Herbert is a renowned arms author and former curator of the Winchester arms collation at the B.B.H.C.)
One Hundred Years of Winchester Cartridge Boxes 1856-1956, by Ray T. Giles and Daniel L. Shuey. Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 4880 Lower Valley Rd., Atglen, PA 19310. ISBN 0-7643-2541-8. 312 pp.; 8 ½” x 11”; 1,290 color and 112 b& w ill.; hdbnd.; index. $69.95 (+ $3.94 s/h) available from D. Shuey, P. O. Box 4512, Rockford, IL 61110-4512
While combustible, paper, patent ignition cartridges have been the subject of study for a number of decades, mass produced metallic cartridges have only recently come into their own. Leading this research is Daniel Shuey, whose two volume analysis of Winchester center-fire ammunition set the standard for publications dealing with cartridges.
Now Shuey together with Ray Giles have produced a work of even greater importance: a detailed examination of the packaging used by the Winchester company for the rifle ammunition it manufactured.
To say that this study is a virtuoso performance would be an understatement. The authors describe, as well as illustrate, a truly bewildering variety of cartridge boxes. More importantly, they clearly identify the printing variations that are encountered within the boxes used for specific ammunition. As a result, collectors or anyone researching Winchester boxes will be able to quickly determine which box variation they may have.
For example, the three distinct patterns of vine and leaf borders found on the 100 round boxes of .44 Henry cartridges are described, as well as illustrated (p. 29). The progression of caliber call-outs or the numeric designations used to identify specific cartridge types are likewise pointed out where appropriate (pp. 31, 34, etc.). Changes in the overall label designs are presented in chronological order so that their dates of production can be easily determined.
The authors have arranged the boxes in chronological order by the rifle models in which they were to be used. Thus, .44rf is to be found under the chapter heading “The Henry Rifle and Model 1866” and the .270 under the “Models 54, 70 and 88”. In certain instances minor label variations are included under major type sequences rather than the caliber involved (e.g., those for the .25-35 [pp. 167-171] are included in the .30-30 section [pp.172-183]).
To their credit the authors identify the various box types by rarity using a 1 to 6 scale. They also have included valuation estimates for all the boxes discussed. The presence of these two elements greatly increases the work’s usefulness to collectors.
While the assignment of approximate values is important with respect to early ammunition boxes, it is of no less significance for those made during the 20th century since rare variations are to be found in that ammunition.
Although documenting all of the Winchester company’s cartridge boxes must have been a daunting task, it has been accomplished in fine style. The textual descriptions are clearly written and the accompanying illustrations are all of superb quality. The absolute wealth of information makes this book an indispensable reference and while it is a tightly focused work, it nevertheless is a major contribution to the study of American ammunition. More importantly, Giles and Shuey have set a standard for others to follow
.

H.G.H

Eric & Jere Ward Sporting Collectibles by Ward's Auctions Inc.
Finally a reference guide with prices on Rifle Boxes! Has great full color pictures & the reference guide is second to none. You can look up boxes by Caliber, Gun Model or by significant wording on the box. This book will be used by both beginner & experienced collectors alike

Chris Roberts
This book is absolutely fantastic!!!! I am buying one for my library too. This is a fine, fine reference guide and makes my cataloging job a whole lot easier for my auctions. If you need anymore testimonials just let me know because this is our new bible for metallic cartridge boxes.

Michael Britton
I checked out my latest issue of The Black Powder Cartridge News, and lo and behold here is a book review:
"Cartridge collecting is nearly as big a field of endeavor as firearms collecting, and is just as dependent on a good command of facts. The myriad variances in cartridges and cartridge boxes can be, at the very least, confusing to the collector; in some cases it can be expensive also. It pays to know what you are looking at and this is where this new offering by Ray Giles and Dan Shuey comes in.
Their new book, ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF WINCHESTER CARTRIDGE BOXES, is an exhaustive study of the many different cartridge boxes sold by the Winchester company from 1856 to 1956.
Obviously, these dates take in years specifically interesting to the readers of this magazine. If you are like me, you run into old cartridges and boxes, and are never really sure what they are worth. This new book on Winchester cartridge boxes can solve much of that problem due to a rarity factor and price guide that is included in the text.
This great new hard cover book has over 1,100 color photographs covering Winchester production cartridge boxes from the Volcanic to the Winchester Model 88; not to mention being crammed with information on Winchester's ammunition production. I've often said that one cannot have too many gun books... this is one that really needs to be in your reference library. You'll be going through all your old ammo boxes, looking for hidden treasure!"
.replbq{width:100%}

(DRAWINGS)
Notes
Primer: No. 2-1/2 Win. Powder: 70 GR BP Bullet: 235 Gr Fp Steel Jacket *H.W.S. Volume 1 The rimmed 32-70 known as the type "A" was a U.S. Navy contract cartridge made by Winchester starting early in 1892, officially in Navy records it was called "CAL. 32 P & V", Winchester loaded only one early lot, approximately 2,000 cases and bullets were also furnished to be loaded by naval personnel at the test site, these cases varied in length and shoulder placement... Rarify Factor 5

---

After discussing the headstamped rounds, Shuey reviews those which are dated. This portion of the book will prove especially interesting to martial collectors as he describes the 1903 and 1906 pattern .30 baliber rounds, as well as .276 cartridges. At the conclusion of this section is a listing of Winchester's dated cannon shells and artillery shell primers.
In conclusion it can only be added that the author has painstakingly created a reference book that is not only a masterpiece of research but also a truly stunning accomplishment.

--Herbert G. Houze

Herbert G. Houze
(Herbert is a renowned arms author and former curator of the Winchester arms collation at the B.B.H.C.)

December 4, 1999

If ever a book deserved to be called a true "labor of love", it is Daniel Shuey's new study of Winchester center fire ammunition. As a review of its contents quickly reveals, this work represents a tremendous investment of the author's time and creative energies. The latter aspect is perhaps best demonstrated by the 1,374 pen and ink elevational drawings Shuey prepared to illustrate the cartridges he discusses. These drawings aside, W.R.A. Co. Headstamped Cartridges contains an unbelievable amount of information concerning the construction, introduction, and production of the Winchester company's .22 to .38 caliber center fire ammunition. To his credit, Shuey has relied upon corporate records for the majority of the information he presents rather than hearsay or unsubstantiated observations. As a result, readers can use this reference work with the assurance that the data presented is in fact correct.

Physically, the book is quite well laid out. It begins with a review of the abbreviations that will be used; source identifications; an explanatory or sample entry layout; a brief history of Winchester, and; an illustrated discussion of the various forms cartridges, as well as their primers can take. Shuey then presents a detailed review of specific points, such as the powders used by Winchester; bullet types; specialty cartridges, and; so forth. Following this he lists all the known Winchester Center Fire or "W.C.F." headstamps that were used from 1884 to 1954. Then and only then does he begin discussing the specifics of the cartridges listed.

While the amount of information provided in each entry varies considerably, with some of the more popular rounds taking up anywhere between three and five pages, the following
example is fairly typical.

One Hundred Years of Winchester Cartridge Boxes 1856-1956 Reviews

Lou Behling
(Lou is the former editor of the Cartridge Corner for the Gun Report monthly. He is also a renowned firearm and ammunition historian.)
For many years collectors have been asking for a book on Winchester ammunition boxes. Here it is with a price guide, rarity factor, and in Full Color! It is an absolute must that the reader take the authors' advice to read all of the introduction and chapter one before going on to the rest of this book. This information forms the basic foundation to understanding conditions, rarity scale, value factors, box construction, labels, label codes, etc. Without a complete understanding this basic information, the reader will be at a loss to understand the wealth of information contained in the remainder of the book.
Chapters are arranged in chronological order by gun model numbers/calibers. Chapters two through fourteen begin with basic information of the arms that utilized the cartridges in each chapter. The authors do not attempt to describe the many variations of each model of firearm. These have been well documented in other publications and are outside the scope of this work. chapter fifteen covers Winchester boxes made in non Winchester calibers. Chapter sixteen covers a small sample of Winchester calibers made by other manufactures.
Covered are an almost unbelievable number of box label variations. There are more box label variations, from the very rare (3 different 100 round Henry boxes) to the fairly common, in any given caliber than most box collectors have seen in a lifetime of collection. Throughout this book, what is really impressive is the color of the hundreds and hundreds of box photographs.
Fully indexed, this book is an absolute must for anyone collecting ammunition boxes or gun collectors wanting to identify a contemporary box to display with their gun. If the date of the gun's manufacturer is known, the appropriate box should be found. Cartridge collectors would also do well to add this book to their library for the wealth of information these box labels contain
.